Prisoners of Time: All the Time in the World
by Mrs.Phineas Bogg
Summary: Story III: It is the first 24hr voyage with the new omni and it's a red light. Bogg and Jeffrey tinker with the Omnichron. Ramona has an accident and reveals truths about her past to Phineas. Voyager Drake prepares for his take-over of Voyager Academy.
1. Chapter 1

****~A/N: 2 years ago I started a unique series that re-imagined the Voyagers origins and put Bogg and Jeffrey in _1882, NYC._ It was a series I was inspired to write from H.G. Wells' classic novel, 'The Time Machine' and the subsequent movies. After 2 stories, R/L got in the way and I lost steam and moved on to many other projects and fandoms. But I have been itching to bring it back. Now that I wrapped my head around more ideas, I have! The stories move leisurely along, because I had started origins from scratch, but I carefully kept the spirit of _Voyagers!_ and canon alive. I just edited story I and II to my satisfaction and to better connect to future stories (Some of you may need to read or even re-read those) So here is story III completed and story IV is in the works.~**  
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**Prisoners of Time: All the Time in the World**

**Story III**

**Chapter 1**

A low whistle pierced through the sky above the Navy Yard docks just before sunrise. Three figures fell out of the clouds and tumbled onto the deck of Phineas Bogg's schooner. Jeffrey sprung up. He ran away from Phineas and clutched the ship's wheel as if his life depended on it. Susan rolled upon her side and covered her face to hide her fright. She needed tending first. Phineas waved at Jeffrey to keep calm. He gently sat Susan up and pulled her hands down. Her skin blanched as she gazed around frantic.

"What happened? No…No_…No!"_ The pitch in her voice rose higher and higher.

The trauma of Drake's abduction and her near brush with death frayed her nerves. Phineas kissed her forehead and kept her in a strong embrace.

"Susan, Susan, steady now. You're fine! We did it! We traveled through time! It works! The brass omni works!" He smiled.

His senses tingled with pure excitement and he felt a rush of adrenaline. Jeffrey slid his hands off the wheel and glanced up. Where it was evening a minute ago, the clouds had parted and brightened to a pale blue as the sun rose over the horizon. He tapped his face and body, to make sure he was still intact. The instant Phineas grabbed him, he had a sense of flying – and intense, flashing lights and colors twisted and burst before his eyes. He grinned and jumped up and down and pumped his fist into the air, startling Phineas.

"_Yahoo!_ That was fantastic! You did it, Bogg! You made history! You changed history! Time travel is possible!"

"Of course it is! I told you I never lie!"

Phineas leaned upon one knee and hoisted Susan up. He had to get her below deck and under warm covers. He needed to rush her to the Academy. They employed the most current medical techniques and procedures, and used effective medicinal aids in the infirmary. She would need to be thoroughly examined so that she wouldn't contract any bacterial infections from the river waters. He would have to get himself checked, but his mind was too preoccupied to care.

"I scarcely can believe it! It was the most wonderful experience ever…and it was so fast!"

Jeffrey followed as Phineas rushed down with Susan. She rolled her head from side to side. Only the refuge of his strong arms was able to quench her fears. She kept having visions of Drake and his evil, black eyes. She replayed his cruelty over and over in her thoughts and still felt as if the cold waters washed around her. The odor of his repugnant alcohol and the dank harbor penetrated her senses. She fell into a coughing spell. Bile rose into her throat and she grasped Phineas' shirt in a panic.

"Please…please…Phin…I'm so sick." She begged for relief.

Phineas put her on the small bed. He snapped towards Jeffrey.

"Quickly, go into that closet and get me a slop pail. Be swift!"

Jeffrey brought it out. No sooner had he placed the wooden bucket beneath Susan – did she lean over and wretch. Jeffrey jumped away and swallowed hard, his stomach felt queasy. He thought it best to go above deck. Susan would have been mortified once she came to her senses and found out her vomiting spell was on public display.

"I'll go upstairs and be a look out."

"Good idea, Jeffrey. Call me if anything. I'll be up shortly."

Phineas drew the curtains around the bed and supported Susan's frame until she had finished. It wasn't much. He grabbed a cloth and wiped her mouth, then laid her down. He didn't want to be forward, but he had to remove her wet garments. He undid the buttons of her dress and slid it past her shoulders. She made no objections, so he continued to remove it until she was clad in only her camisole and long, white bloomers. Phineas forced himself not to stare at the revealing undergarments for too long. They were damp and matted against her soft skin.

He brushed the soaked tendrils of hair from her eyes and dunked a clean cloth in a washbasin he kept on hand beside the bed. He dabbed it with a strong soap, then slowly drew it over her face to remove the bits of river grime that spotted her cheeks and forehead. Susan's eyes flew open when she felt the water sprinkle her. She forced herself up and let out a scream.

"_Don't touch me!_ No more! Please no more water!" She begged him.

Phineas at once put the cloth down. She was in a semi-state of shock. His hands balled into fists. Drake had made the mistake of his life. He clutched her arms and was about to lean her against him again when he realized he was just as drenched as she was. He looked down with a deep sigh. He pulled at his buttons and ties and removed his shirt. His clothing itched him terribly and removing it offered a small respite.

'_If Garth could see me now.'_ He pondered. But he was no prude, and Susan needed his help regardless if they were bundled or exposed.

Susan stared impassively, and then traced her fingers across his chest, savoring his warmth.

"Oh, Phineas, I'm sorry, I am behaving out of my head. Please keep me safe from that monster. He is pure evil! I saw it in his eyes. If only you could have seen it. He has no regard for any human life but his own!"

"I know it, Susan, and he will be stopped. You're very safe with me now." Phineas promised.

Susan hugged him. She rested her chin upon his shoulder and Phineas winced with compassion as her hot tears dripped on his skin. He ran his hand up and down her back in gentle, soothing motions. Susan gazed up at him and gently kissed his collarbone. Phineas burrowed his face against her neck, responding in kind.

They pulled apart and she touched his cheek. Phineas took hold of her wrist and kissed her palm, his deep passions inflamed. His kisses coursed down her arm and he lowered her until her head rested upon the pillow. He held her face and their lips met tenderly.

The brassy clanging of morning work bells intruded upon their intimate moment. Phineas disregarded them and leaned toward her again, but she halted him.

"Phineas, no. There is no…we…we cannot do this." She tried to sound resolute. "Jeffrey is here and you have to bring us back to land and tell the others what happened with the omni. It was unbelievable!" She stirred excited. "This is what we've been waiting for! Wait until Bobby finds out! He will be so thrilled! He and the engineers worked so hard on this model!"

Phineas frowned; the mention of another man's name dampened his fervor. He always imagined that the wiseacre Australian had a soft spot for Susan.

"You're right of course. I can't let my foolish senses get the better of me. I have a lot of work to do now."

Phineas stood up fast. He went to his closet and pulled out a spare set of clothing. He looked it over with a bit of distaste. It was overtly sea faring. He shook out a white, pillow-sleeved shirt cut low at the chest, tight beige pants and a sepia, suede vest. He got upon his knees and dug for the high pair of brown boots and when the outfit was complete, he shrugged. It was better than nothing. Clothing was clothing. He stared at Susan.

"Bobby wasn't all that sure if the omni would work, but I took it anyway. I'm glad to know it's also waterproof. Excuse me just a moment."

Phineas went behind the curtain to change. Susan sat up higher and twirled her mouth thoughtfully. She hadn't meant to dispel him, but they both knew where the desires they shared could lead. It had nearly cost them their future at the Academy. Phineas had become strangely abrupt once she mentioned Bobby. Was it possible he was jealous?

Susan had a notion that Bobby cared deeply for her and at times the feeling was mutual. Phineas was barely around the Academy since graduation and her small dreams she once had cooled off when he immersed himself in the Time Machine projects. It was his return the other day, which revitalized her to the intense affection they harbored, but she wasn't sure how long they would last. Phineas was a man on a mission.

Susan pulled the quilt higher and Phineas came out from behind the curtain. She gaped at him. He was always dressed impeccably fine or in his adventurous attire, but this was an outfit she had never seen. Phineas modeled for her awkwardly.

"Not your standard sailing outfit. It's much more of a pirate style if you ask me. I don't know what I was thinking when I purchased it."

Susan giggled. "You were thinking like yourself, this is an extension of your fashion, Phineas, like a clean-cut pirate. It suits you very well."

Phineas smiled and patted down the clothes. "It does, doesn't it? Well, I can say that I know how to shop and get tailored for comfort. They feel as part of my own skin."

The bells rang again and more voices crowded up the Navy Yard. Jeffrey approached the cabin stairwell.

"Bogg, I think we need to scram, those same dockworkers might come and find us again." He called down.

"I'll be right up, Jeff." He stared at Susan. "You need to rest, it's not a long trip back to Manhattan. Everything will okay."

Phineas grabbed the omni and bounded up the stairs before she could reply. Susan lay back and closed her eyes, wondering what would happen next.

**~V~**

"Ahoy, Phinny! _Yo, ho, ho!"_ Jeffrey called out with a smirk when Phineas un-moored the boat and took the helm. "You got some neat clothes, Bogg."

"Thanks, but I'm no fashion plate." Phineas came closer and held his shoulder. "Are you alright, Jeff? How do _you_ feel?" He had almost forgotten Jeffrey had been thrust through the time stream as well.

Jeffrey was still enthralled with the whole experience. "I feel _great!_ What exactly happened, could you explain it?"

"We basically traveled faster than the speed of light through the cosmos, the time and date was pre-gauged on the omni. So far, we have only been able to make a break within a twenty-four hour time span."

"But how did you know it would work if no human tested it before?"

"We tested it with animals, monkeys were easiest to work with. We sent one chimp, and then made sure to be at the same spot twenty-four hours later. We wound up a minute late, but when we came into the testing room, there he was, scratching his head and bouncing off the walls. We ran all the necessary tests on him and he was unscathed. It was a thrilling day!"

"I'll bet! I hope you rewarded him with tons of bananas! But what about _your_ time machine? What does that do?"

"The Omnichron operates on a different capacity. If all my calculations are correct, I can travel only within the area I am situated, but to _any_ time. While protected within that blue vortex, we may be able to literally see eras of time speed up in reverse or forward! That would be breathtaking!"

Phineas kept his eye on the river as he manned the helm. "Today…_err_…yesterday, I received the geographic specs for it. Eventually I'll be able to alter my invention so the machine literally moves through space to other places. Unhindered time-travel across the world is what we hope to accomplish with the omni, then there will be no necessity for my invention. But our scientists are concocting all sorts of ways one could time travel."

Phineas laughed. "One British graduate had in mind to create a blue police booth of sorts and he said we can operate the time machine through a telephone inside. So you see, it's definitely not a limited science or concept."

"That is so fantastic. Who ever even thought about time travel to begin with?"

"Oh, there has been plenty of essays and stories written on the subject, and it looks like more will be at hand now that we got our inventions off the ground. But if my father were alive he'd tell you that time travel even goes back to the days of Joshua in the scripture, when The Lord made the sun stand still so the battle for Gibeon could be won."

"Wow! I know of that account, I just never thought about it as time travel before."

"In a way it is. You like to read, don't you?"

"I love it, I just haven't had the chance in forever. I miss my books."

Phineas patted his back and made a mental note to have a full library put into the boy's new room.

Jeffrey sighed. "Even if you never use it, your time machine would make a really neat art piece…hey can you show me the omni?"

Phineas gave it to him. Jeffrey stared at the dials. They were set for Saturday, September 3rd, 1882. However, the left light above the globe beeped and flashed red.

"Bogg, I know red means something's wrong, doesn't it?" He dug his fingers into Phineas' arm, nervous.

"Exactly. It has confused us at the Academy too. The only thing I fear wrong is that Voyager Drake is still on the loose. If we don't stop him, he'll succeed with his plans to take over the Academy. We will get him, Jeffrey. Our goal is to turn this light green."

Phineas steered the boat in the direction of the Manhattan skyline and toward the docks where he had left his horse with Harold. The boy bubbled over with questions that only time, age, and scientific study could answer. Jeffrey paced the length of the deck and looked out across the river.

"Bogg, what are cosmos?"

"That's a deep question, but the most basic answer I can give you is that it's the summation of all particles and energy that exist and the space-time in which all events occur."

Jeffrey cocked his head. "Are _umm_…are we cosmos?"

Phineas laughed. "That's a very interesting way to look at it…we are made of particles, energy…our body even consists of the same matter as the stars. There is a vital truth when the good book says we are made of dust."

"Fascinating. So we traveled faster than the speed of light, through the space-time…place…"

"You could say, _continuum_. We traveled to get from point A to point B. You got the essence of it."

"I'm not even sure of what I'm thinking or want to say, but I know it happened!"

Phineas glared at the approaching Manhattan Isle resolutely.

"And it will happen, over and over and over again. With these inventions, we'll have... all the time in the world."

"_All the time in the world." _Jeffrey echoed. "Then let's stop wasting it and hurry up and get home! We have a lot of work to do!"

Phineas slapped his back heartily. "That's the Voyager spirit!" He thought of Susan and made a hasty decision, but the ideas flew out of his mouth before his heart could confirm them.

"There's _no _time for romance!"

"Right! _Voyagers!_ _No romance!"_ Jeffrey repeated.

"Time is our oyster!"

"Oyster! Right!"

"Quarter to no man!" Phineas spouted. His adrenaline pumped and his tenacity for the Academy's mission deepened. "We can do anything, change anything…_be anything!"_

Jeffrey stomped across the deck and stood beside him proud.

"Voyagers!"

Phineas smiled and waved his arm wide across the expanse of the sky.

"_Voyagers!"_


	2. Chapter 2

**Prisoners of Time: All the time in the world**

**Story III**

**Chapter 2**

Ramona banged the dust off designer rugs on the stoop of Bogg Manor. She glanced up and down the streets for any sign of Phineas and the boy, but they still hadn't returned. Phineas was in a terrible hurry the other evening and when he had changed into his vigilante attire she knew that something foul was afoot. She prayed that evening for her master and the boy's safety. She didn't dare to interfere or try and change his mind; Phineas was determined and ambitious once he set his goals.

Ramona finished her chore and rolled up the rugs. She heard low whimpers and panting coming from the alley alongside the apartment. She clutched her broom and peeked over. Sniffing around the premises was a dingy, brown dog. He was a pitiful sight – matted and ravenous. Ramona gasped upon seeing a black book shoved between his jaws. Though the animal was at a distance, her eyesight was still keen. She recognized the golden script along the bottom right corner. Ramona put down her broom and approached the mouth of the alley. She hoped the dog was friendly.

"Come 'ere boy! Come 'ere! Ramona won't hurt ya! I'll take good care of ye! Come on…come on! I'll give ya something nice to eat! I promise! Come boy!"

Ralph perked his ears upon hearing a kindly voice. He picked up his master's scent all over the place, including on the lady who coaxed him over. He crept toward her. His master had to be around here. His senses besieged him. The front door to the apartment was ajar and Ralph took his chances. He rushed past the elderly woman and ran straight into the house. Ramona threw up her hands and followed after him, disgruntled that he tracked mud and dirt all over her freshly waxed floors.

Ralph dropped the book on the floor and ran around barking. Ramona hurried to the kitchen and pulled out left over roast. She put it on a dish and called to the dog before he could race up the stairs. Ralph skidded into the kitchen and nearly jumped atop her for the food. Ramona led him to a warm corner and placed the dish down. The dog attacked the roast.

Ramona's heart went out to him. She petted his back and then scurried to the hallway to collect the book. She thumbed through it. It was definitely Phineas' property, but it was very much worse for wear. It had the dog's teeth marks embedded in its center and a few pages had been torn loose and stained with mud and puddle water. Ramona held it by the edges and carried it to the pantry sink. She was going to clean it up and repair it as best she could, perhaps with a re-binding. She enjoyed the art of scrap booking. When Phineas returned, he would be delighted to have it back.

**~V~**

Phineas took Jeffrey into the engineering lab after being assured of Susan's care in the Academy Medical center. She was exhausted, and would most likely sleep for a full day once she was cleaned up and administered the proper medication. Jeffrey explored the room with great curiosity, marveling at the designs and worktables full of springs and cogs. There were cabinets over stuffed with papers and bookshelves crammed with texts on every subject. World maps and charts were pinned to the walls. It reminded him of Phineas' laboratory, only more spacious.

All of the hard labor and calculations of these intelligent men and women went into the designs of the amazing omni device. Although he had stolen it, Jeffrey reasoned that his intervention played an important part in saving history and the work done at the Academy. He was glad he never thought to sell it or give it to King-Ray. He knew there was something vastly unique about it.

Jeffrey tried his best not to touch anything or move instruments as he explored. Phineas collapsed upon a large chair with his shoulders slumped and threw his legs on a footstool. He nodded off. Jeffrey wanted to check underneath him to see where he stored his lithium batteries, because the man just kept going and going. Jeffrey hoped one day Phineas would teach him how to use all those gadgets and grappling hooks. He wanted to be a hero too.

They waited for Voyager Bobby Peters to arrive. He had visited with Susan while Phineas cleaned himself up. Bobby flurried through the doorway, his expression apprehensive.

"Holy dooley, man! You smell like a cistern! Susan is finally asleep. I wanted to be with her until the medication took effect."

"Oh…of course." Phineas perked up. He wondered if she mentioned anything about him, but didn't voice his thoughts. "Hey, I showered…but I have to get home for a real bath. It should be called the East cesspool, _blechh!"_ He shivered.

"_Ahh_, God made dirt, and dirt don't hurt. It's good for the pores, man. You'll keep that baby-soft glow you always have forever now." Bobby smirked.

"Who are you?" Jeffrey asked.

Bobby held out his hand to Jeffrey. "Bobby Peters at your service. Head engineer _and _Director of the Omnichronometer Control Center. Who are _you_?"

"Uh, Jeffrey Jones…_former_ Hester Street King and…_partner_ to Inventor and Voyager vigilante Phineas Bogg!"

Phineas grinned. He liked idea of having a partner. "Now you sound like Roma, she calls me a vigilante too."

Jeffrey gazed up at Bobby; he was much taller than Phineas and broader in the shoulders, but his physique was softer. His warm features weren't as imposing as his figure, especially when he smiled.

"You must be William Jones' boy! I had the grand opportunity to meet your father when he was interviewing with Professor Garth. Smart as whip he seemed. I'm so sorry for the tragic loss of ya parents."

Jeffrey shook his hand, still amazed over the fact that his father was meant to be one of the Voyagers. It seemed as though life was coming full circle and Jeffrey was determined to carry on his father's legacy.

"Thanks Mr. Peters. I'm…I'm glad Bogg found me. But after all the problems, I'm surprised he didn't toss me out on my rear already!"

"Old Phin has a knack for finding trouble, but he's got a heart of solid gold. You're not going anywhere." Bobby whispered to Jeffrey. "He's a real softie on the inside, even if he's yellin' at ya. Phin gets attached pretty quick."

Phineas coughed. "What was that? Did you forget about the acoustics in this room? I'm not that soft!"

"No, not when he's got a crossbow aimed between your eyes!" Jeffrey shivered and Phineas felt sorry he had ever done that to him.

"Jeffrey, it wasn't loaded. I never would have pulled the trigger. I promise you."

Bobby waved his hand at him. "Sure, sure. I didn't realize what a Sir Lancelot you are, swooping in like a bat to save Susan! I heard it was quite a spectacle. You have Susan in quite a tizzy. The newspapers are going wild!"

Phineas shrugged humbly. "Remember, if any of those journalists come snooping around, don't mention my name. As for Susan, she'll get over it. I just did what I could. "

"Right! Or her name isn't Stern Sue!"

"Watch it, Bobby, if you want her attentions, don't call her that."

"It's only a tease. I know she still loves me."

Bobby didn't see Phineas' sour face and he went to the center of the room and spread his arms out. "So, Jeffy boy, what do you think of our modest lab? Impressed?"

Bobby tossed Jeffrey and Phineas apples. They both bit into them the same time, it had been a long while since they had eaten and Phineas was craving one of Ramona's breakfast specials.

"Yeah, it's very impressive, there's so much…"

"Stuff." Phineas cut in. "These V-Engineers are a messy and disorganized bunch, I'll tell you that. I'm surprised the omni didn't take us diagonal and upside down to Australia."

Bobby gaped at him. "Phin! I'm surprised at you. Like your study is any neater? All jammed and crammed with thingos and whatsits and doohickeys! I'm tempted to go and wash down all the calculations on your chalkboards, and then we'll see how far you get with that contraption your building! By the way, how's it coming?"

"Oh, it's coming. I just have to make a few adjustments."

"I've been hearing that one for months. Now what's the problem? You used the wrong jewels for the activation knob? Give it up, Phin. We know we can time travel, now we have to push it to the limit."

Bobby was right, but Phineas was thinking of Jeffrey. The boy would definitely want to go on the travels with him. Phineas would hate to leave him alone, only to find that Jeffrey had carried on without him into the future. Who knew what could happen? As he studied his machine the night before, Phineas planned to install a separate chair in it for Jeffrey. However, he knew that they were still wary of one another and he didn't forget Ramona's warning. Jeffrey might still be inclined to the ways of the streets. He would have to help him develop a sense of etiquette.

"It _will_ work, Bobby, and it will go very far. Our goal is to travel to the past and future. Isn't anyone around here excited that the omni took us twenty-four hours ahead?" Phineas huffed.

"Sure, but it's so easy, a monkey can do it! I should have given you a banana instead of an apple."

"Come on now! You can't expect me to believe VHQ is…"

"Whoa, mate? _VHQ?"_

"_Voyagers Headquarters._ It breaks the monotony of saying 'Voyagers Academy' all the time, it's much less stuffy." Phineas shrugged nonchalant. "As I was saying, VHQ would not be so lackadaisical about something as grand…"

Bobby patted Phineas' shoulders. "You are very tense right now, mate. Of course we are going to expect a full report and do evaluations as soon as you're up to it. We'll wring the experience out of all of you. And I noticed something else, the red light is on. That blasted thing has been blinking since we built it!"

"Yes. And Professor Garth was correct; the omni can detect a change or imbalance in the flux of history. That is something I still don't understand. He is very mysterious about that part of the Academy's mission."

"You're preaching to the choir mate. A few of us have tried, but neither he nor the other Tribunal members will give us a straight answer. But we have to trust them. I do."

"So do I, but it's bizarre how they just _know_…"

"Maybe one day we'll find out the whole truth, for now, we have a mission to accomplish here."

"That's right! I can only assume the red light is because of Voyager Drake and his schemes. He will be stopped!"

"Voyager vigilante to the rescue!" Bobby announced. He drew a cloak over his shoulders and concealed part of his face. "Who knows what evils lurk in the hearts of men!"

"Great, now you're teasing me…I have to keep in shape somehow, I can't be tied down to a desk fiddling with screws and bolts and shoving cakes in my mouth all day." Phineas nodded toward the chocolate remnants he saw on the desk.

"Oh I see! Because you're the circus strongman you want to make fun of…"

Jeffrey laughed as the banter continued between the men, but he also sensed a slight rivalry and decided it could only be over Susan. Jeffrey sighed and rolled his eyes. He was glad to be a long way from having to deal with nonsense like that. As much as he wanted to explore the Academy, he really wanted to get back and to start helping Phineas finish his Time Machine. Jeffrey hopped off the stool.

"I think we should get goin,' Bogg! We got a lot of work to do, ya know. The Academy can't wait forever for this invention."

Phineas slid off the chair, his body suffered aches and pains and all he wanted to do was bathe, eat, and have a few hours sleep. He didn't realize how disorientating time-travel could be to the psyche. He still felt as if it were late evening. Jeffrey seemed unaffected, save for his enthusiasm. Phineas yawned and headed toward the doorway.

"They may just have to wait one more day. I seriously need rest."


	3. Chapter 3

****Prisoners of Time: **All the time in the world**

**Story III**

**Chapter 3**

Ramona was finally victorious in calming Ralph down and getting him into a bath. She had a soapy and hairy mess to clean. She didn't hear Phineas and Jeffrey enter the apartment, but Ralph did. He barked in her face and leaped out of the basin covered with soapsuds. Ramona was so frightened she slipped in the watery mess he left behind and tottered. She let out a frightened shout and landed hard upon her side. She grasped her waist as a deep pain coursed through her body.

"Ralph! You found me! Good dog!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

Ralph bounded into the foyer and slid across the floor. He nearly knocked Jeffrey down. He licked and pawed him with delight. Phineas stared amazed. He thought for sure that Ralph had been killed when the warehouse roof collapsed. He was about to pet him when he heard Ramona crying from the washroom. Phineas rushed inside and found his beloved housekeeper sprawled on the floor and soaked. Her face was ashen and it hurt her to move.

"Phineas, please help me up!"

"_Ramona! _I'm so sorry! That damn, mangy mutt! Jeffrey! Out he goes!"

Phineas crouched down alongside her. Ramona gripped his arm. "I'll…I'll be alright…it's not the dog's fault…he's been waiting for Jeffrey. I figured that. Please just take me to my…my quarters."

"Anything you wish, Roma."

Phineas gently carried her from the washroom toward the opposite end of the apartment. Jeffrey dragged Ralph back to the bathtub. A sickening guilt welled inside him.

"Bogg! Is she gonna be alright?"

"Jeff, she's hurt, maybe more than she's letting on. I'm gonna get her situated. I want you to finish cleaning off that dog and then…well, for now, just lock him in your room."

Jeffrey backed up. Phineas was very irritable and tired.

"Yes, Bogg…I'm really very sorry."

"It's not your fault. I just want to know how he made his way back here. There was no way…_ahh,_ never mind. He's a dog, his senses beat ours and he's loyal to a fault. He made it, that's what's important."

Phineas continued his walk toward Ramona's dwelling. She moaned and her breathing went shallow. He glanced down alarmed.

"Jeffrey, I want you to call a doctor for me right away. Her number is near my telephone in the pantry, tell her it's an emergency."

"_Her_ number?"

"Yes! Doctor Mary Dixon, she is a friend of Roma's. Please hurry!"

Phineas rushed Roma to her bed and laid her down. She was still in pain and felt better when she sat up higher so he fluffed her pillows against the wall. He was about to leave for his lab when she grabbed his arm.

"Phineas wait…"

"No, Roma, I'm going to get you some strong painkillers until Mary or another Doctor arrives."

"Oh dear, you know Mary's hospital is in Brooklyn now, she's too busy. She's a woman's doctor, Phineas. I'm fine with any general practitioner, please honey."

Ramona winced and reached over to her dresser drawer. She pulled out the guidebook.

"That dog…he…he had this in his mouth. I did what I could."

Phineas was about to run out again when he saw his book. His eyes widened and he slowly took it from her hand. It was nothing short of a miracle. He noticed how lovingly Ramona repaired it, she had even sewed the loose pages.

His eyes filled with tears. "Thank you, Roma." He clutched it to his chest. "I think you know how much this means to me."

"Ahh, that I do. Ya know I'd do anything for you, Phinny. Ya know that, my bonnie lad."

Phineas stared at her, remembering his early childhood when she was younger and more robust, and her hair was still streaked with her luxurious red tones. Phineas recollected her singing to him when he put up struggles to go to bed or fell ill. Her engaging alto voice calmed him and he would just gaze about and let his childlike mind be transported. He imagined the beautiful Highlands and shores that Ramona described with a deep yearning, and he always begged her to take him there. Ramona assured him that one day he could make the trip himself when he became a strapping sailor like his father.

The lyrics to his favorite song came to mind. He put the book down and knelt by the bed. He clutched her hand. He hummed and then softly sang to her.

_"O, my luve is like a red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June: O, my luve is like the melodie, That's sweetly play'd in tune. As fair art thou, my bonnie lass, so deep in luve am I, and I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a' the seas gang dry. Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear, and the rocks melt wi' the sun! And I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o' life shall run. And fare thee weel, my only luve, And fare thee weel a while! And I will come again, my luve. Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile…"_

Phineas leaned over and kissed the top of her head and she smiled serenely at him.

"You remember that. It used to put ya right in a dream world."

"You get some rest, my bonnie lass. This is wonderful news! I'm so glad you took Ralph in. I…I have Jeffrey calling the doctor now and I'll be right back with the medication and…" Phineas noticed spots of blood upon her dress by her knee. Ramona covered it over.

"I must have scraped my leg. It's nothing. Phineas, donna be worryin' about me now! Go and take care of your boy."

Phineas appreciated that comment. Jeffrey was now, _his_ boy. He drew the coverlet over her legs. "I will return with bandages and first aid. I'll take care of you, Roma...just as you have always done for me. I love you and you are to feel no shame in my home or presence."

Ramona reached up and stroked his hair. "I love ya too, Phinny."

When Phineas rushed out, Ramona laid her head against the pillows and closed her eyes. Although not without his quirks and subtle moods, Phineas Bogg was the most charming and kind man she had ever met and she was thankful to have one soul who still cared for her in this world. She took in a sharp breath and tried to ignore the pains in her heart. Phineas returned within fifteen minutes carrying a tray with bandages, medicine and a steaming cup of chamomile tea. He tended to her gently and propped up her pillows so she could sip her tea.

"Are you comfy, now? Can I get you food?"

"Oh no…Oh dear, I haven't even started dinner."

"Never mind that. I can take Jeffrey out later."

"Phineas, ya look exhausted and bruised! Oh, ya need rest, lad. I know you do."

"I can sleep when I'm old and gray."

"I donna think anything can keep ya down, Phineas!" She chuckled. "I need ta keep ya on a leash!"

Phineas laughed. "Roma, if it weren't for you in my life, I may have let this project go to waste. I know that you stay in the background and you don't feel the need to question my actions, but I appreciate your advice and counsel. You gave me hope and comfort when my parents died. It was you who encouraged me to go to this wondrous Academy because you knew me inside and out. Better than my own mother. You knew I _needed_ to be there."

"Oh Phineas, I love ya as I would my own son. I wanted ya to have the best in life and the Voyager Academy suited ya fine."

Phineas saw a profound grief in her eyes. "Roma, do you have a son?"

Her fingers tightened through his. "I _did_. I came to New York with my husband."

"I thought you had never married?"

"No, I married, but it was a shame on my family, that's why I left Scotland. They warned me of him, Phineas. They knew he was only after my dowry, my so-called beauty…but I was a headstrong, plucky young thing. I gave my poor parents such a hard time. I believed he loved me and then he left me dry in 1834. He got involved with wicked and corrupt business and I wanted no part of it. I found out I was pregnant that year, but I never saw him again."

"The scoundrel! What happened to the baby?"

Ramona heaved a sigh. "I was poor, almost destitute. I took all kinds of odd jobs that let me bring the babe, but it wasn't healthy for either of us. It was a rough time for me, Phineas. I took jobs in singing halls and bars, any place that had warmth where I could keep an eye on him. Winter was coming on fierce. So I made the decision to give him up for adoption. I wanted him to have a good life, and I couldn't give it ta him. I was a mess. I found a lovely family, and they thought he was a beautiful baby…he was! He had red hair like me, and eyes, bright and green like my father. But then…"

Ramona lowered her face in her hands and sobbed. Phineas embraced her. "Oh Roma, if you'd rather not go on, I understand…"

"Oh, no, I must tell it, nobody ever knew I had a child or a husband. They just always thought I was a crazy sort, lettin' my youth and looks go to waste and workin' as a maid. After I lost baby Breannen… I didn't want anything more out of life. I was tired of the clubs and impropriety. I figured if I worked for fine families, I wouldn't be alone and I wouldn't have to deal with all those animals out there in the streets. Oh Phineas, ya probably look at me so bad now…"

Phineas caressed her cheek. "I could never look at you badly, Roma."

"I kept my wits, Phineas. I never let those men touch me or harass me willingly. I was not that sort. I still had me pride. But sometimes…they…they…"

"Oh sweet, Roma. I wish I could find those heathens and…" Phineas' heart thudded fast. His wishes were realities. "Roma, _what happened to Breannen_?"

Roma's mouth trembled. "It was all my fault. A stupid mistake! I never meant to bring him…he died in the Great Fire in…"

Jeffrey came running into the room. A middle-aged doctor with a black beard was at his heels. "Bogg! The doctor's here, I told him it was an emergency! He knows her medical history from Mary Dixon."

"Ramona, we'll continue this. I want to know everything, dear."

"Aye love, maybe another time."

Phineas stood back and let the doctor take over. He and Jeffrey walked in nervous circles outside the room for over ten minutes until the doctor came out. He removed his hat and the solemn expression on his face sent Phineas' stomach aflutter.

"Doctor Hunt, what is it? Will she be okay?"

"Mr. Bogg, she took a harsh fall, and there are bruises along her waist and abdomen, so she must look out for internal bleeding. But right now she isn't showing symptoms."

"I will keep an eye out. Thank you."

"There is something else, Mr. Bogg. Her heart. This fall knocked the wind out of her. Has she complained of any dizziness or shortness of breath or chest pains recently?"

Phineas shrugged. "None. I would assume she'd have told me if she were ill. But then again, Ramona hates for me to worry."

"It's worse than she lets on, Mr. Bogg. I'm sorry. Ramona's heart has been weak for the last year. She may not make it past the winter."

Phineas sank into a chair and held his head. "No, not Roma. Why didn't she tell me this!"

Jeffrey stood by her door and bit his lip. Guilt coursed through him. "Bogg, the other morning when she was getting the bath ready for me I saw her get dizzy. She keeled over and had trouble breathing. I was going to tell you right away, and she made me promise I wouldn't. She kept saying it was nothing." Jeffrey cast his eyes to the floor to hide his tears. "I'm sorry, Bogg! I should have told you anyway. Then maybe this wouldn't have happened. Maybe she fell because she got dizzy again. We could have prevented it."

Phineas drew Jeffrey close and patted his back. "Jeff, I don't blame you. You did the right thing by respecting her privacy. She has her reasons for not wanting me to know."

"Yes, young man, you aren't to blame. She told me she fell because the dog ran out to greet you and left a soapy trail." The Doctor said.

Jeffrey swallowed down a sob, but another one burst forth. "Ralph is my dog and he was looking for _me_! She's gonna die soon and it's all my fault! Everything's my fault!"

"Jeffrey, don't say that!" Phineas tried to hold him back, but Jeffrey ran fast away and up the spiral staircase to Phineas' laboratory. His cries echoed throughout the house. The Doctor left Phineas special medication to give to Roma and admonished that she needed plenty of bed rest. At the moment she was fast asleep.

**~V~**

Phineas went up to meet Jeffrey. He had drawn the curtain from the Omnichron and lay at the base with his head in his arms. Phineas sat next to him and rubbed his curls.

"Jeffrey, what do you mean, _everything is your fault_. Nothing is. Its just circumstances."

"Yes, I'm to blame! First my parents, and then Jimmy, and now Ramona."

"What do you mean your parents? It was a train wreck. You had no control over that."

Jeffrey raised his tear-streaked face. "We should have taken the first train back. I begged my father to let us camp just for one extra day because we were having such a good time. He surprised me by making it three-days because it would have taken that long for the next train to come through the town."

"Jeffrey, you didn't know there was going to be a crash. Your father extended the trip because he loved you and wanted to see you happy. That's what any good father would do."

Jeffrey knew Phineas was right, but it still pained him. "My father was the best. And my mother too, I saw she was tired and ready to go back home, but she didn't complain. We all enjoyed ourselves, fishing and hiking, telling stories by the campfire. My mother drew some beautiful pictures of the scenery too. She was sort of an artist."

"I'm sorry, Jeffrey. I know how painful those wounds are, and it's still so fresh for you. You can always talk to me about it whenever you need to." Phineas soothed him.

"Thanks, Bogg. There's really not much anyone can say. But sometimes I like to talk about them. Just like…you might want to talk about your parents?"

Phineas took a drawn out breath. "Yes. I can talk about them from time to time. They were very good to me."

"You're a good man, Bogg. They raised you right."

"Thanks, Jeffrey. So, who is Jimmy?"

Jeffrey leaned back against the Time Machine. "Jimmy O'Grady was a Hester Street kid. He was getting tired of King-Ray and his abuse. We talked about it. He liked talking to me because he said I was really smart for my age. He was fifteen, and he kind of took me under his wing. Jimmy wanted to stand up to King-Ray and I encouraged him. I told him I would too. Jimmy didn't want me to say anything, but I insisted."

Jeffrey stood and faced Phineas. "But when the time came I went yellow. I knew Mikey was planning something and I got too scared to call him out on it. He murdered Jimmy! I know he did! And I let it happen!"

Phineas felt his heart drop. Jeffrey Jones carried the weight of the world on his small shoulders and now Phineas added to his burdens with time travel. He hugged him.

"Jeffrey, there was nothing you could have done for Jimmy either! Mikey or King-Ray may have killed you too if you got involved. Jimmy knew that. He cared about you like an older brother and you were his friend. Aww, kid, you have so much hurt inside."

Phineas held him back and looked him straight in the eye. "Listen to me carefully. From now on it's a clean slate. You have a new life to lead with me. I'm…I'm your guardian now and I'm going to look out for your welfare. Starting Monday we'll see about getting you back into school…no, I will have tutors come to you, good ones that went to Voyager Academy."

Phineas stood next to Jeffrey and they gazed at the Omnichron. He was lost in deep thought. His tiredness fled. "You're my assistant, and together we're going to make this hunk of metal work."

Jeffrey smiled and brushed his tears away. "That's right we are! _Voyagers!_ Remember?"

Phineas rolled up his sleeves. "_Voyagers._ So, what are we standing around here for? We have work to do on this blasted Time Machine if we ever want to change history!"

"Alright! Now you're talking! But Bogg…_change _history? I thought we couldn't?"

Phineas' cheeks reddened. "Did I say that? I meant…well, _observe _history. Never mind, whatever happens, happens. Just help me get these tools prepared."

"You're the boss!" Jeffrey ran excited to the drafting table. "What about the bath and food and stuff you wanted?"

"Later, Jeff. That's one thing you'll learn, I tend to…let myself go a bit when I'm focused."

"Hey, I'm not complaining…_yet!_ Here's the toolbox."

Phineas adjusted his lights to better see the parts and joints on the apparatus. The brass glow enticed him. He had to put it to use sometime and right now he had a lot to reflect on. He knew the consequences of altering time zones; at least, he knew the theories of what could occur. It had never been proven that changing an event to help someone's life along would ruin the stream of time.

Voyager Academy was focused on the grander prospects of history – the world leaders, the inventors, and all the people who made a colossal dent for future generations. He thought about William Jones and his thesis for the Academy. Was it so wrong to try and help an individual enhance their life? Could there be much harm in trying? He was going to find out.


	4. Chapter 4

****Prisoners of Time: **All the time in the world**

**Story III**

**Chapter 4**

**November 1st, 1882**

Jeffrey tossed down a wrench and stared at Phineas in disbelief. "You finally got the coordinates re-adjusted, that crazy blue energy doesn't burn a hole through the velvet seat anymore, and now we have to dismantle the _entire_ thing? But _why_?"

Phineas rubbed the back of his head and then clasped his neck. The tension inside him rose steadily. "Because I am a _nincompoop!_ Like you I was enraptured with the spiral staircase, it was a great accessory to my laboratory. But I wasn't thinking of…placement! _Location!"_

"I find that hard to imagine. You're always mulling over something, Bogg. You have your head in the clouds. Why not have your Time Machine on the _top_ floor?"

Phineas tossed down his apron. "Funny! Jeffrey, once we start time traveling what do you think will happen if we wind up in eras where this building hasn't been erected yet…or, we go so far into the future that it had long been torn down?"

Jeffrey's eyes widened and he understood. "Right! If we're on the top floor, the Omnichron will fall to the ground. We'll be chopped liver. This machine is gonna be the death of us."

Phineas wanted to run at the contraption, tear it with his bare hands, and fling every last screw out the window. "We're still young and able. But this is going to set us back weeks! We have to move it very carefully. Thank goodness I have the guidebook and these blueprints. Because we cannot afford to have one single nut or bolt out of place, otherwise, I may never be able to put it back together again."

"This is getting very tedious, Bogg. Voyager Academy must have given up on us by now. How is the little omni coming along?"

"They're up to testing monthly intervals of time travel and so far there are no ill effects or miscalculations."

"At this rate, a Voyager will be sailing with Columbus before we even get this stupid clunker back together again." Jeffrey grumbled. "Then when we finally _test it_, they'll be pushing Baby Moses down the Nile River in 1450 BC! I say you sell it to a scrap heap!"

Phineas elbowed him. "Jeffrey, where's your Voyager spirit? If all the great minds in this world thought as you did, we'd still be in the Stone Age. This will work. I know it. It _has_ to work. "

"So, where are we going to put it now?"

"In the greenhouse next to the barn. I never use it anyway. My mother was the plant lover."

"But why not in that old library in the back of the house?"

"No, it cannot be in the building, remember, erected…torn down? Although…" Phineas scratched his chin; it bristled with beard growth. "We'll still be protected in the energy field and time will be moving fast around us."

"If we don't get burned to a crisp from the energy. But we can't take any chances of having bricks fall on our heads."

"Besides, I still have to add one more piece to this thing." Phineas grinned.

"What now? You keep adding stuff to it, it will be too heavy to even move an inch, let alone travel through time."

Phineas shrugged. One thing he learned living with the boy was that Jeffrey was never shy about displaying his attitude. "Okay, then. I guess we can leave your chair aside."

Jeffrey looked at him horrified and jumped up and down around him. "No! I didn't mean that! I'm sorry! Please Bogg! I'm going with you even if I have to sit on your lap!"

Phineas put his arm around his shoulder. "I'm kidding. Of course you're coming with me. In your _own_ chair. Phileas Fogg _needs_ Passepartout!"

**~V~**

**December 1st, 1882**

A full month passed and the final adjustments to the Omnichron had been made. Jeffrey spent his days with tutors and quenched his ardent love for history and stories with all the books Phineas added to his personal library. Phineas also presented him a first edition of _Tom Sawyer_ and Mark Twain himself had signed it. It was a treasured gift. In the evenings Jeffrey assisted Phineas, and the Voyager eventually taught him how to operate some of the weapons he designed. Phineas was very adamant about exercise and maintaining good health. He had a small gym in his home which he used every day. Phineas taught him fighting and boxing techniques, but warned that even though "Voyagers never run from a fight," it should only be a last resort to put up the fists. Their meals, while plentiful, were loaded with more greens and other assorted vegetables than Jeffrey had ever seen in his life.

"We have to stay as fit and trim as we can for our excursions, Jeffrey. We don't know what trouble or adventures we'll run into throughout the time zones. It will do us no good to be bloated and tired."

"But Bogg, there's nothing wrong with a piece of cake or a slice of pie once in a while."

"Of course not. The cheesecake is one of my favorites, but only once a week or maybe a month."

"Bogg! You're a killjoy sometimes!"

Though Jeffrey was glad to have such a thorough education and warm home, he felt that Phineas was too restrictive about his comings and goings around the City. Phineas was not taking any chances; he feared reprisals from Drake and Mikey. They already knew Jeffrey was staying at the Manor. Phineas insisted that they run all errands and go on outings only together and Jeffrey was only allowed to walk Ralph within ten blocks. Jeffrey wouldn't tell Bogg, but he felt as if he were in a luxurious prison. He tried to see it from the Voyager's point of view, and Phineas reassured him that all these precautions were only temporary.

There had not been a peep out of Voyager Drake or any sign of the Hester Street gang since the traumatic incident with Susan, but Voyager Academy remained vigilant. Drake was never one to quit so suddenly.

Ramona healed well from her injuries, but Phineas was worried about her weakened condition overall. He and Jeffrey decided not to tell Ramona that they knew of her heart troubles. But come late November she finally admitted the truth. However, she wanted no preferential treatment and insisted on keeping up with her duties. Phineas could never win an argument with the stubborn woman. But through a referral from Voyager Garth, he hired a seventeen-year-old Academy student named Katrina to help Ramona with the heavy chores three times a week. Ramona enjoyed her company, though she often had to chide her to pay more attention to her cleaning, and less on the 'extraordinarily dashing' Mr. Bogg.

Phineas was positive of a calm before a storm. He knew Drake would strike at some point. But he didn't know when or how.

**~V~**

**December 5th, 1882**

**A warehouse along the Brooklyn Navy Yard**

Eight young boys between the ages of 10 to 19 sat at full attention, they didn't dare to twitch or take their eyes off their new leader, Voyager Dante Danior Drake, III. For three months they had made a new gang base at this warehouse. It was far more comfortable and spacious than their old haunt on Hester Street. They never lacked in food, and each had their own bed and private living space. Voyager Drake, despite his foppish manners and upscale dress code, was a more formidable leader than King-Ray ever was.

Mikey was Drake's 'dog', just as he was King-Ray's, but Drake kept him on a short leash. He used the vicious boy to mete out swift punishments on anyone who failed to follow his 'Voyager code of ethics and honor.' He believed in "discipline and order above all else."

The Hester Street Kings continued in thievery, but it was well organized. Drake bought the boys the finest clothes and taught them proper manners and social mores. At times they needed a certain charisma to win over their intended victims. The gang went on 'house missions' and learned to burglarize with speed. Drake taught them to examine quality over junk, and to calculate the value of their spoils. He had Mikey give the boys physical training. Mikey was upset that Drake never let him get away with participating like King-Ray did.

"We are preparing for a small war, boys. Once we gain control of the Academy, we will have conquered the world! You can trust me on that." Drake often said. "But it cannot be accomplished if you are all in the dumps. You must strive to be faster, stronger and smarter."

Drake lacked any sense of humor; he lived in a charm free world of black and white and pitied no one. Even King-Ray had sometimes showed a little heart when he wasn't inebriated or angry. Drake was intent on building an empire and talked often of the future. The boys didn't know what to make of it. They were only concerned with the here and now and having food and shelter before winter. They were willing to follow any rules.

Drake required them to read books on Philosophy and trained their minds from the writings of Machiavelli. Drake revered the diplomat as a master of good leadership. He often gave long-winded speeches and expected them to take notes. Tonight he was more impassioned than ever. The time for his reckoning was coming soon.

"Never allow yourself to be predictable in your actions! You will lose power! If you want to succeed you must hide your thoughts. If people are on to you, they will have a chance to outshine you and ruin you! Always catch them off guard!"

"Machiavelli taught us that a ruler must always watch his back. Even the person closest to the king should be viewed with extreme skepticism." Drake pulled out his pointer stick and rapped Mikey hard across the shoulder for sleeping during the lesson. Mikey jumped. He grimaced and sank low in the seat.

"If you see someone climbing that ladder to power, he is ambitious, and will try and pull the rug out from under you! But you must take him down with subtlety. You cannot be a tyrant like that pig King-Ray."

"Machiavelli wrote that a good prince must _have_ wisdom in order to _recognize_ wisdom. Before you accept others' advice, you must know everything about your dominion. A good leader has advisors and counts on them, just as I count on you, but I too must be an expert in my occupation before I can even think to consider your opinions."

Drake pulled down a map of the Cooper Square area, and noted the large iron gates that surrounded the Cooper Union building. He explained how they had specialty locks that were rigged to send off electric currents on intruders.

"Machiavelli believed that having fortresses was a strategic mistake because the enemy can besiege them. When a ruler locks himself in a fortress, he becomes out of touch with the spirit of the times, never knowing what others are saying about him or even plotting against him."

Drake laughed loud, stunning his class. "And that my miscreant boys, will be the downfall of Voyager Academy! Soon, very, very soon!"

**~V~**

**December 8th 1882**

**Bogg Manor**

Glass shattered and Katrina let out loud screams. She ran to the foot of the stairs and nearly tripped as she called for help. Phineas and Jeffrey came running into the apartment from the greenhouse. Phineas fell into a cold sweat. He knew exactly what had happened. He bounded up the stairs and grabbed the girl's shoulders to quell her trembling.

"Katrina! Is it Ramona?"

"Yes…yes! I went to wake her for breakfast and she's…oh Mr. Bogg! I'm so sorry!" She burst into tears and he hugged her.

"You will be okay, Katrina. Just relax." He stroked her blonde hair and patted her cheek. Jeffrey skidded to a halt by Ramona's door. He was afraid to look in.

"Jeffrey, take Katrina to the dining hall, give her some tea and one of those pills to calm her nerves."

"But what about Ramona! Is she hurt?"

"Never mind, Jeffrey, please do as I say."

Jeffrey saw the anguish building up in his guardian's face. His jaw went slack and his lip trembled. "Bogg…is she…?"

"Yes."

Jeffrey wiped his eyes and shook his head. He took Katrina by the hand and led her downstairs. Phineas went into Ramona's quarters and shut the door tight. He glanced at the disarrayed bed and his gaze traveled to the floor. His stomach clenched and sharp pangs of grief crawled through his soul.

"Oh dear, Lord. _Roma…oh no, God!"_ He choked and fell to his knees. He thought he had prepared himself for this moment, but the shock was too great. It always was.

Ramona lay strewn on her back, her eyes wide open, and her lips tinged blue. She had suffered a massive heart attack in the course of the night. Phineas could hardly see through his tears. He crawled to her body and hovered over her. Her skin was frozen to the touch and her fingers clenched around her locket. Now he knew the image inside was of her baby Breannen. Phineas gently drew her eyelids shut. He held her up halfway and embraced her lifeless form close to him.

"I can change it. I can!" He sobbed into her hair. "I vowed to help you once! I will!" Phineas lifted her body and laid her on the bed. He gripped her quilt and lowered his head.

"The Great Fire…we never finished our conversation! I'm sorry! I always pushed you to the background. You knew what I wanted to do, didn't you? That's why you didn't tell me afterward and ignored my questions. But I can help, Roma!"

Phineas pulled the blanket over her slowly and rose up. "_Great fire…Great fire_…" Phineas thrust his head up, his eyes illuminated as he stared at the portrait of comely young Ramona on the wall. "Maybe that's what is wrong! Maybe that is the red light! Your life _without_ Breannen. _Yes!_ The Great Fire of 1835! It changed New York forever! But how…how did your baby…?"

It made no matter to Phineas. As long as he had all the time in the world, he could do anything.

**To be continued in Story IV-Title TBA. (Coming soon)  
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